1 The First Event

In the land of Shantun, a group of warrior appeared from the far north.

They appeared from the bush, silent as shadows, a group of at least a hundred man armed to the teeth. They rode in silence. The horses were silent, as well. The whHao taiga was silent. There was nothing else to it, nothing at all. Why and from where did they come to this part of taiga? What did they search for? Those were questions that were hard to answer.

Their faces were covered with beech-wood masks that gathered above the forehead that was decorated with two long straps of colorful cloth. The rest of the mask was decorated with fur, feathers or colored pieced of oak that made a form of harmony. A harmony that was terrifying, to say the least, but none the less it was a form of harmony. Some might say it was a horde of demons that rode their terrible cavalcade, they weren't wrong. This group was more demon than man. They rode.

The leader stopped, looked at the sky above. An eagle flew above, it was an omen. The group stopped. The leader turned. With his right hand he made a small circle in the dirt. He waited. A second eagle flew above, another omen. They were a superstitious lot, brave and strong when they need to be. This was one of those moments, their culture demanded it.

"Sing, you lot!" the leader shouted. He was a tall man dressed in furs, broad shouldered and a voice that could shake the mountain. "Sing, I said."

They started:

"Friends and relatives were discussing how

To marry off their (young) kinswoman this year

Among roses, discussing how

To marry off their kinswoman this year

"We want to give you a prince for a husband

And he has more gold than little Jae has land."

Among roses, a prince for a husband

"And he has more gold than little Jae has land."

On Saturday and Sunday the message was sent

On Monday and Tuesday you could see her presents

Among roses, the message was sent

On Monday and Tuesday you could see her presents

On Wednesday and Thursday wine was blended

On Friday and Saturday they caroused for the big day

Among roses, wine was blended

On Friday and Saturday they caroused for the big day

They drank for days, they drank for two

But go to the beds the bride would not do

Among roses, they drank for two days

But go to the beds the bride would not do

They drank for days, they drank for three

But the bride did not want the beds to see

Among roses, they drank for three

But the bride did not want the beds to see

Then entered a little sailor boy

And he was all clothed in blue flannel

Among roses, a little sailor boy

And he was all clothed in blue flannel

He stood by the table and this is what he said:

"I only see the masts moving down there."

Among the roses, this is what he said:

"I only see the masts moving down there."

Now the maiden wants to go up aloft

So she runs all the way down to the seashore

Among roses, go up aloft

She runs all the way down to the seashore

She runs on the stones, she runs on her toes

Careful of the waves lapping at her feet

Among roses, she runs on her toes

Careful of the waves lapping at her feet

Then they took her into the ship

And offered her both mead and wine to drink

Among roses, into the ship

And offered her both mead and wine to drink

"I see, I see from your small white fingers

That no wedding ring was there before yesterday."

Among roses, small white fingers,

"That no wedding ring was there before yesterday."

"I see, I see from your gold-yellow hair

No wedding garland was there before yesterday."

Among roses, gold-yellow hair,

"No wedding garland was there before yesterday."

"I see, I see from your snow-white breasts

They have not comforted any infant."

Among roses, snow-white breasts,

"They have not comforted any infant."

And the maiden lies down by little Jae's side

Among roses, little Jae's side."

"Continue," the elder said.

"My strength can pull down a mountain, overcome the world,

But fate is not on my side, so my horse won't run.

And if my horse will not run, what can I do?

Oh, Yu Ji.

Yu Ji, what can I do?"

"More," the leader stepped in.

"Many ride tall and red

But, in the morning sick and dead.

Sir Hao he rides so far

To his wedding to offer his hand,

And the dance goes so lightly through the grove.

There dance four, and there dance five,

Elf king's daughter reaches out her hand.

"Welcome, Sir Hao, let thy burdens go,

Stay a little, and dance with me."

"I don't dare, I may not:

Tomorrow I will be wed."

"Listen, Sir Hao, dance with me,

Two buckskin boots I will give to thee."

Two buckskin boots, fitting well around the legs,

Gilded spurs buckled on."

Listen, Sir Hao, dance with me,

A silken shirt I will give to thee."

A silken shirt so white and fine,

My mother bleached it in the moonshine."

"I don't dare, I don't have to:

Tomorrow I will be wed."

"Listen, Sir Hao, dance with me,

A lump of gold I will give to thee."

"A lump of gold I can receive,

But dance with thee I dare not."

"And if thou wilt not dance with me,

Plague and disease will follow thee."

She struck him between his shoulders,

Never had he been hit harder.

She lifted Sir Hao onto the horse red,

"Ride back to thy betrothed maiden."

Then he came to his castle gate,

That his mother is resting beside.

"Listen, Sir Hao, my son,

Why are thy cheeks so pale?

"My cheeks are pale,

Because, I've been in the elf-wives' gate."

"Listen, Sir Hao, my son so proud,

What should I tell thy young bride?"

"I will say I'm outside in the grove,

To ride my horse, and try my dogs."

Then in the morning, day it was,

Came the bride in her bride-gown.

"They gave me mead, they gave me wine,

Where is Sir Hao, my groom?"

"Sir Hao rode into the grove,

He's trying his horse, and his dogs."

She took up the scarlet red,

There lay Hao, and he was dead.

Early in morning, day it was,

There comes three corpses off Sir Hao's farm.

Sir Hao and his bride to be,

His mother died from sorrow.

But the dance goes lightly through the grove."

"That's not the right one," the elder jumped. "There are more versions. Continue…"

"Sir Hao has saddled his good grey mare,

And off he has ridden to the mermaid's lair.

His saddle of gold floated high on the waves

And down sank Sir Hao to the mermaid's embrace.

"O welcome, Sir Hao, and welcome to me!

Full fifteen years I have waited for thee.

"Where were you born, and where you raised?

And where were your courtly garments made?"

"Twas in the king's castle I was born and raised,

And it's there that my courtly garments were made.

"There lives my father, there lives my mother,

And there live my sister and brother."

"But where are your fields and where are your lands,

And where in the world does your bridal bed stand?

"Where in the world does your true love lie?

With whom you will live and die?"

"There are my fields and there are my lands,

And there is the place where my bridal bed stands.

"There is the place where my true love does lie,

With whom I have sworn to live and to die."

"Come in now, Sir Hao, sit down by me here,

And drink from my goblet of wine so clear.

"Now where were you born, and where were you raised,

And where were your courtly garments made?

"Here I was born, and here I was raised,

And here is where my courtly garments were made.

"Here lives my father, and here lives my mother,

And here are my sister and brother."

"But where are your fields and where are your lands,

And where in the world does your bridal bed stand?

"Where in the world does your true love lie?

With whom you will live and die?"

"Here are my fields and here are my lands.

Here is the place where my bridal bed stands.

"Here is the place where my true love does lie,

With you I will live and with you I will die."

"More," the leader sharpened his blade.

"Haorides along the mountains

with coal and smith

He came upon an elven house

Young lads, happy lads, step up on the floor, dance merrily

Out came an elven maiden

Braided hair on shoulders lay

"Be welcome Hao Knightrose

come to the dance and sing for us,"

Young lads, happy lads,

Step up on the floor

Young lads, happy lads,

Step up on the floor

Dance merrily

("I can no longer stay with the elves

For tomorrow I will wed")

Will you no longer stay with the elves

Sick I shall make your wedding

I would rather be buried tomorrow

Then lie ill for seven winters

She filled him a drinking horn

in it went a grain of poison"

"Continue," the shaman moved his staff.

"Hao was riding towards the mountains

They play under the high mountains

The elven women broke into dance.

"Dismount your horse and dance"

The elf maid reached out her hand,

"Come now, Hao, dance with me"

"Dancing with you – I cannot,

For tomorrow my wedding is to be held."

Hao, Hao, come dance with me,

A "head" of gold, I shall grant thee.

A "head" of gold, I wouldn't mind having,

But dancing with you – that I'll never do!

Hao, Hao, come dance with me,

A silken shirt so I will give you.

A silken shirt, I would gladly have,

But dancing with you – that I'll never do!

Listen up, Hao Kim,

You get off your horse, and start dancing!